Blower



Jan. 1, 1957 J BURRQWES L 2,776,089

BLOWER Filed Feb. 13, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TORS JOHN B. BURROWES q BY KARL M. GANGEF? WWW ATTORNEYS Jan. 1, 1957 y ow s ETAL 2,776,089

BLOWER Filed Feb. 13, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JOHN B. BURROWES (f1 BY KARL M. GANGEP ATTORNEYS J n- 1 J. B. BURRQWES ETAL 2,776,089

BLOWER Filed Feb. 13, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS JOHN B. BURROWES 6} BY KARL M. SANGER ATTORNEYS United States Patent C) BLOWER John B. Burrowes and Karl M. Ganger, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to The Lau Blower Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 13, 1951, Serial No. 210,676

9 Claims. (Cl. 230-259) This invention relates to fan assemblies and to the mounting thereof upon window openings and the like.

his an object of the present invention to provide a fan assembly which is simple and economical in construction, which is symmetrical in its shape, and which is adapted to be supported either on its bottom or side and which can be readily reversed from side to side in order to reverse the direction of air delivery.

It is also an object to provide a fan assembly which may be readily mounted on windows of different type such as the ordinary double hung windows as well as the easement type, both with and without screens over the window opening.

It is another object to provide such a fan assembly readily attachable to and detachable from another similar device providing for a dual or multiple fan assembly with the-fans delivering air either in the same direction or in opposite directions as may be desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawings -Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a fan assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figs; 2 and 3 are vertical andhorizontal sectional views through the fan assembly on the lines 22 and 33 of Fig. 1, respectively;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view on a larger scale showing the construction for attaching the guard to the face of the casing;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a typical casement type'window with a screen in place over the opening and with the bracket for mounting the fan assembly being inserted into position over the top edge of the screen;

'Fig. 6 is a detailed broken view of the bracket itself;

Fig. 7v is a sectional view showing the way in which the fan assembly is removably supported on the bracket;

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective showing the mounting of the fan assembly upon a casement window where'there is no screen; i

Fig. 9 is a view showing the mounting of the fan over the supporting bracket in the arrangement shown in Fig. 8;

Figs. 10 and 11 are sectional views showing the release and locking positions respectively of a latch for securing the two parts of the dual assembly in assembled relation to each other;

Fig. 12 is a view in perspective showing the mounted supports for a dual fan assembly in position over a casement window;

Figs. 13 and 14 are perspective views of two forms of clamps used for securing the upper portion of the dual fan assembly in position;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing the two fan assemblies in mounted position upon the window with one fan drawing air inwardly and the other discharging it outwardly through the opening;

Fig. 16 is a broken view showing the way in which the Patented Jan. 1, 1&5?

unit can be mounted in position above an ordinary double hung wood frame window; and

Fig. 17 is a similar view showing the dual fan assembly in position over a window or ventilating opening.

Referring to the drawings which disclose preferred embodiments of the invention, the structure of the fan assembly consists essentially of an outer casing com posed of two generally U-shaped parts 10 and 11 which meet in abutting relation at the junction lines or seams 13 where they are suitably welded into the form of a hollow shell, thereby eliminating any corner seams. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the casing is substantially rectangular in shape and has relatively broad flat faces on all four sides. It is thus symmetrical as to size and shape,

both as to its sides, bottom and top, and similarly as to are joined to the flat sides by smoothly curved portions 23 substantially as indicated. This provides an open flange or wall entirely surrounding the casing both front and rear and with the flanges defining rectangular openings in the front and rear walls, which openings are aligned axially of the casing.

The casing serves as a support and protection for the fan unit indicated generally at 25 which is supported entirely within the casing and is of less axial extent than that of the casing so that no part of the fan unit extends beyond the walls of the casing. The fan unit comprises a supporting bracket 30 which extends from one side wall to the opposite side wall where it is welded by means of flanges 31 and with a rearwardly recessed portion 32 adapted to receive the motor 33 bolted thereto as shown at 34. A venturi ring 35 is also secured to the casing by means of flanges 36 thereon which extend adjacent the inner wall of the casing on all four sides, being spot welded thereto as shown at 37. The motor shaft 38 extends centrally and axially of the venturi and the fan blades 40 are mounted thereon with a rearwardly ofiset relation as shown in Fig. 2.

. A protective guard 45 composed of an open wire grill extends over the opening in the casing being detachably secured therein by means of spring portions 46 which releasably engage in apertures 47 in the face of the flanges 20 and 21, respectively. As will be clear from Fig. 4, the topmost wire member 48 of the guard is spaced well below the edge of the flange 20, leaving a substantial space 49 therebetween, in order to facilitate the mounting of the assembly in the manner to be described.

The fan assembly thus is entirely self-contained, with the fan being operable without interference whatever position the casing may be in; the symmetrical construction makes it possible to mount the casing on its bottom or side, or upon either its front or rear face, in a completely flexible and interchangeable way, thus making it possible to stand it up, to lay it down, or to reverse its direction of air flow, as may be desired.

Referring now to Fig. 5 which shows the way in which the fan is attached to a casement window having a screen, the window frame is indicated at 50 with the screen at 51, being held in place by the usual fastening brackets 52 which are secured by means of screws or wing bolts 53 in threaded openings 54 provided in the window frame. A special mounting bracket 55 such as shown 3. in Fig. 6 is provided having a series of elongated mounting slots 56 and a bottom portion 57 with an upwardly and downwardly curved flange 58, 59, respectively.

Where the fan is to be placed over such a window as shown in Fig. 5, the fastening brackets 52 may be merely loosened and the bracket 55 then insertedin inverted position with the flange 59 opening upwardly. Withthe screws 53 then being retightened, the construction is as shown in Fig. 7 where the flange 20 of the fan. assembly may be merely hooked in place overthe upwardly open flange 59 of the supporting bracket. This completes the mounting and the fan can then be operated as desired in this position. It will be evident that it can be mounted either with the handle extending upwardly or in anyoth'er direction, and likewise may be mounted on eitherthe front or rear face, in order to obtain opposite directions of air delivery, no other connections being necessary.

Where the window does not incorporate a screen, the arrangement can be handled as shown in Fig. 8 where the bracket S d-is mounted on window frameSll -by means of screws 53 in the threaded apertures 54, the elongated slots '56 providing for ease in receiving the bracket 55 with different width openings and the series of such slots providing for mounting the assembly at different heights. Obviously the same flexibility or adjustability inmounting is obtainable as previously described. In this case the flange 20 of the casing is hooked over the-portion 58 of the bracket, in the manner shown in Fig. 9.

It is also desirable in many cases to provide for a dual or multiple fan assembly incorporating two or more such devices in side by side relation. For this purpose an adjustable latch 60 is utilized such as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 comprising a hook portion 61 on -a strap 62 and another hook portion 63 formed on a companion strap 64. A link 65 has enlarged ends pivotally mounted in curved portions 67 and 68, respectively, so that the latch can be either opened to engage over the flanges of two adjacent assemblies, the position shown in Fig. 10, or closed to its locking position as shown in Fig. 11 whereit clips the two flanges to retain the adjacent devices in assembled relation with a toggle-like action. It can however be easily released by opening the latch manually to the position shown in Fig. 10.

For the mounting of such a dual assembly over a casement window (Fig. 12) the bracket 55 is preferably located at the lower part of the windowopening and fastencd in the threaded apertures 54 thereof as described above.

The upper pair of apertures are arranged to receive a movable clamp 70 (Fig. 13) having a finger grip 71, and an elongated slot 72 with the fastening flange 73 on the opposite end thereof. The other clamp 75 (Fig. 14) has tlh7e engaging flange 76 and the fixed'mounting open: rng

The assembled arrangement is as shown in Fig. 15. The fastening latch 60 is first applied to adjacent outer face flanges of the two assemblies to retain them together, and the assembly is then placed'over the window opening with the inner face flange on the lower unit restmg on'the flange 58 of bracket 55 while the inner face peripheral flange at one side of the upper assembly is engaged over-hook 76 with the opposite flange 21 of that assembly being engaged by book 73, the latter being drawn into locking position by the finger grip 71 and thewing bolt 53 already in place is then tightened.

As shown, the lower fan assembly in Fig. 15 is indicated as delivering air into the room While the upper assembly is shown as exhausting air from the room. It will be understood that the arrangement is entirely flexe ible in this respect and that either or both units'may be arranged to operate in either direction by simple rearrangement in the assembly procedure as described above.

For use over the ordinary double hung wood frame window, the bracket 55 may be mounted above the window and secured to the casing as shown in Fig. 16, thus supporting the unit from the casing and in proper position over the opening, whether screened or unscreened.

Similarly, where a dual assembly is desired for a double hung wood frame window, two brackets 55 are provided, and the dual assemblies are then mounted side by side thereon with the latch 60'coupling the two flanges together along adjacent side edges thereof.

The invention thus provides an arrangement which is readily flexible and adjustable to accommodate widely varying conditions, with the fan assembly being so arranged and of such symmetrical construction that. it can be received and employed in different manners and to accomplish different results; The mounting of the assembly over different types of windows is greatly facilitated and simplified, and the assembly is equally satisfactory when utilized without the mounting, as a floor or desk fan, or the like. Additionally, the quickly detachable construction makes possible the combination of two or more assemblies either causing air deliveries by the fan inthesame or in opposite directions, as may be desired for any particular purpose.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be,

understood that the invention is not limited to these'precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Ina dual fan assembly the combination of a pair of generally rectangular casings each having flat sides of substantially axial extent adapting said casings to be assembled in abutting vertically stacked relationship with respect to each other, said casings. each having front and rear walls provided by flanges turned inwardly from all the sides thereof, said flanges defining substantially rectangular openings in each of said front and rear walls with the respective front and rear openings in each said casing being aligned axially thereof, fan and motor units mounted within and completely enclosed by each .said, casing for delivering air therethrough, a latch including a. pair of hook portions for engaging adjacent flanges of said casings to releasably retain said casings in assembled vertically stacked relationship, a supporting bracket having a projecting flange for engaging the lower side of the lowermost of said assembled casings, and a pair of clamps including hook portions for engaging oppositesides of the upper said casing to hold the assembled said casingsupon said supporting bracket.

2. iA-dual fan assembly comprising a pair-of casings generally rectangular in shape and having flat .sides of substantially axial extent adapting said casings to be assembled in abutting relation with each other .in each of .two positions relatively reversed with respect to .the directionofair flow, said casings each .having front. and rear walls provided by inwardly turned peripheral flanges on both the front and .rear faces of said .casings, said flanges defining substantially rectangular openings in each of said front and rear walls with the respective frontand rear openings in each said casing being aligned axially thereof, fan and motor units mounted within and completely enclosed by each said casing for delivering air therethrough, a latch including a pair of hook portions for engaging adjacent flanges of said casings to releasably retain said casings in assembled position, and a supporting bracket having projecting flanges engageable with adjacent sides of the assembled said casings to support said assembled casings in side by siderelationship upon a structure.

.3. YA fan assembly for mounting in a plurality of relatiyely reversed positions providing for opposite directions of air delivery, comprising a motor having a drive shaft extending from one end thereof, a plurality of propeller type fan blades, hub means on said Shaft includingportions extending around the periphery of said: one end of said motor supporting said fan blades in radially spaced rotative relation about said one end of said motor, two generally U-shaped casing parts joined at their open ends to provide a substantially rectangular fan casing having flat sides and a flat bottom all of which are capable individually of supporting said fan casing, front and rear walls on said casing having substantially rectangular openings therein aligned axially of said casing, a venturi ring secured within said casing and defining a circular passage between said openings, a bracket supporting said motor coaxially of said venturi ring with said blades in operative relation to said ring, and grills mounted across said openings providing protective guards for said blades.

4. A portable fan assembly for mounting in a plurality of relatively reversed positions providing for opposite directions of air delivery, comprising a motor having a drive shaft extending from one end thereof, a plurality of propeller type fan blades, hub means on said shaft including portions extending around the periphery of said one end of said motor supporting said fan blades in radially spaced rotative relation about said one end of said motor, two generally U-shaped casing parts joined at their open ends to provide a substantially rectangular fan casing having flat sides and a flat bottom all of which are capable individually of supporting said casing, front and rear walls on said casing having substantially rectangular openings therein aligned axially of said casing and spaced apart a slightly greater distance than the combined length of said motor and said shaft, a venturi ring secured within said casing and defining a circular passage between said openings, a bracket secured at its opposite ends to said casing and extending diametrically across said circular passage, means connecting the center portion of said bracket to the other end of said motor providing a cantilever mounting for said motor and said fan blades and supporting said fan blades coaxially of said venturi ring, and grills detachably mounted across said openings providing protective guards for said blades.

5. A fan assembly adapted for mounting in a plurality of relatively reversed positions comprising two generally U-shaped casing parts joined at their open ends to provide a substantially rectangular casing symmetrical front to rear, top to bottom, and side to side, said casing having substantially flat sides and a flat bottom upon any of which said assembly may be supported, said casing also having aligned substantially rectangular openings in the front and rear thereof, a venturi ring secured within said casing and defining a circular passage between said openings, a motor and drive shaft assembly the combined length of which is slightly less than the width of said casing front to rear, a bracket supporting said motor wholly within said casing with said drive shaft extending axially through said venturi ring, a plurality of propeller type fan blades, hub means connected to said drive shaft and including portions extending rearwardly and outwardly around said motor and secured to said fan blades supporting said blades about the periphery of said motor and within said venturi ring, and protective grills detachably secured to said casing extending over said rectangular openings, said grills having substantially all of the peripheral portions thereof spaced from the adjacent edges of said rectangular openings providing for reception of portions of a mounting bracket within said casing to support said casing in a plurality of relatively reversed positions.

6. A fan assembly of the character described comprising a plurality of easing parts of generally elongated U-shaped cross-section providing front and rear flanges thereon, said casing parts being joined end to end to provide a substantially rectangular casing with the seams between adjacent parts extending axially of said casing between corners thereof, said flanges cooperating to provide front and rear walls on said casing and defining substantially rectangular openings aligned axially thereof,

a venturi ring secured within said casing and defining a circular passage between said openings, a propeller type fan mounted for rotation coaxially of said venturi. ring for propelling air therethrough, and grills mounted integral front to rear and around all the corners of saicl casing, a seam in at least one of said walls extending front to rear across said one wall between the ends thereof, said walls including inwardly directed flanges at opposite edges of said walls providing front and rear walls on said casing and defining substantially rectangular openings in said casing aligned axially thereof, a venturi ring secured within said casing and defining a circular passage between said openings, a plurality of propeller type fan blades, a motor having a drive shaft extending from one end thereof, hub means connected to said drive shaft and including portions extending rearwardly and outwardly around said one end of said motor and secured to said blades supporting said blades about the periphery of said motor, a bracket secured at its opposite ends to said casing and extending diametrically across said circular passage, means connecting the center portion of said bracket to the other end of said motor providing a cantilever mounting for said motor and said fan blades and supporting said fan blades coaxially of said venturi ring for propelling air therethrough, and grills mounted across said openings providing protective guards for said blades.

8. A fan assembly for mounting in a plurality of relatively reversed positions providing for opposite directions of air delivery, comprising two generally U-shaped casing parts joined at their open ends to provide a substantially rectangular casing and including inwardly directed flanges on the sides of said parts providing front and rear walls on said casing and defining substantially rectangular openings in said casing aligned axially thereof, said casing having flat sides and a flat bottom all of which are capable individually of supporting said casing, a venturi ring secured within said casing and defining a circular passage between said openings, a plurality of propeller type fan blades, a motor having a drive shaft extending from one end thereof, hub means connected to said drive shaft and including portions extending rearwardly and outwardly around said one end of said motor and secured to said blades supporting said blades about the periphery of said motor, a bracket secured at its opposite ends to said casing and extending diametrically across said circular passage, means connecting the center portion of said bracket to the other end of said motor providing a cantilever mounting for said motor and said fan blades and supporting said fan blades coaxially of said venturi ring for propelling air therethrough, and grills detachably mounted across said openings providing protective guards for said blades.

9. A fan assembly adapted for mounting in a plurality of relatively reversed positions, comprising a substantially rectangular annular casing forming a flat bottom and sides symmetrical from front to rear thereof, flanges along the front and rear of said casing defining a sub stantially rectangular opening therethrough, a venturi ring within said casing including a curved central portion of cylindrical section forming a circular opening and a web portion surrounding said central portion and of generally rectangular flat shape, flanges on the edges of said flat ring portion engaging the inner wall of said casing on both sides and the top and bottom thereof, means securing at least two opposite of said flanges directly to said casing, 21 motor and drive shaft assembly having a combined length less than the depth ofi'sairfcasing fromifronatoback, afan' blade assembly" R'efenences Cit'erl in: the' fi'lerofathis patent UNITED STATES' PATENTS? 1).. 153,099. Barnes Mar. 22, 19 49 1).. 161,058 sezBastian Nov. 28, 1950v 1,054,140 Gillespie .June10, 1913 1,713,648 Feinberg-et all May 21-, 1929 1,971,827 Moi'se Aug. 28, 19 34 2,008,965 Miller. .July 23, 1935 2,073,868. Fladeland Mar. 16, 1937 2,108,733 Allen Feb. 15, 1-938 2,223,572- Callihan D130. 3,. 1940- 2',3.85 ,1'52 Morrison Sept. 18, 1945 Electrical Merchandising, February- 1949, page 153.

8 H'ecliman Dec. 11, 1945' Aufiero" Sept; 24, 1946' Trailer etal Sept. 9, 1947" (Gangenet a1 Nov. 2, 1948'- Cbl Aug. 23, 1949 Wein'ga'rdt Dec. 27, 1949 Bauer ()Ct; 17', 1950 Morrison Nov. 7, 1950 Sprouse eta1. Oct. 30, 1951 Fulal Apr. 1, 19'52 Delf et a1; Jilly 7, 19 53 M'orl'ill Aug. 25, 1953 FGR'EIGN PATENTS Italy Feb. 27, 1933 OTHER REFERENCES Electrical Merchandising, April 1949, page 81. Electrical Merchandising, September 1937, page 38. 

